Hidden Secrets II
by MaK1
Summary: Finally new chapter Takes place two weeks after the events in “Hidden Secrets”. This time around, Clark’s secret is exposed to the Metropolis reporter Karen Castle.
1. Prologue

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Prologue _(From Hidden Secrets)_

Clark stood staring out at the stars, the soft wind bringing in a slight breeze in his Fortress of Solitude. Lana was the first to arrive, who immediately sat down on the couch, Chloe and Pete arriving shortly after. It was night in the sky, and the loft was brightly lit with lamps and a few candles Lana brought over. The three sat on the couch, Clark pulling up a chair directly in front of them. And he told them.  
  
"Wow." Lana said, not knowing what else to say.  
"My thoughts exactly." Chloe said.  
"So wait, let me get this straight, super speed, x-ray vision, super strength right?" Pete asked.  
"Yep." Clark said giving them a short demonstration by moving from the loft to the house in an instant with four sodas in his hand.  
"Amazing." Chloe said in her journalistic tone.  
  
The three promised Clark they would keep his secret, Chloe promising him that if she told anyone she would be cursed for life and not be able to get a job at the Daily Planet. They heard footsteps and all began to stop talking at once. It was Lex.  
"Lex, how you doing?" Clark asked standing up from his chair.  
"Hey, is this a party, cause if it is, somebody forgot my invitation." He said jokingly.  
"Oh...we were just working on a..." Clark said struggling what to say.  
"School project." Chloe broke in.  
"Sounds fun." He said pulling up a chair next to Clark.  
  
They sat in silence, Clark feeling bad how out of his four best friends, three of them knew his secret.  
  
After five minutes of silence, Clark decided to break it with just telling Lex the truth. They were good friends, he didn't want to have to hide anything from Lex, especially when Lana, Chloe, and Pete knew something Lex didn't.  


Lex finally spoke after complete silence for over a minute.

  
"You're telling me you're an...alien?" Lex asked, shocked, and yet curious. Clark answered with a yes, giving Lex another demonstration of his powers.  
"You realize everything's changed now, I mean not in a bad way, but in a good way. And you know you can count on all four of us to keep your secret." Lex said honestly.  
"I know I can." He answered smiling looking at his four friends.  
  
After their three hour long get together, Chloe, Lana, Pete, and Lex went their separate ways home, leaving Clark standing in his loft, watching their cars drive away smiling because he knew tomorrow was the start of a new day, and everything had changed now. It was the start of a new beginning.


	2. Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: Two Weeks Later

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Two weeks later

Karen Castle stepped out of her car and headed to the front door of the Luthor mansion. She was going to pay a surprise visit to Lex and tell him about her next story involving his father. As she stepped up to the front door she heard a struggle inside and immediately on journalistic instinct pulled out her camera and rushed inside. The main hall was empty along with the surrounding rooms and the noise must have been coming from upstairs. She heard it again and began running quietly up the stairs. She heard voices, but couldn't make out who they belonged too.

"Jason, stop this, please. You've been infected by the meteor rocks. That's what's causing you to do this. We can get you help." Karen didn't recognize the voice, but she knew it sounded like a teenager. She hit the record button on her camera and poked her head around the corner finding three teenagers, one with black hair that was very tall, a blonde, and the third person she knew, Lex. 

She saw one that appeared to be sick, but very strong heading for the blonde girl. But just as he was about to reach her the tall black haired teen ran at a very fast speed and knocked the kid right into the air across to the other side of the room. _Amazing._ Karen said to herself. And she was getting it all on tape. 

This kid had powers, and it was all on tape. She couldn't believe it. Later she would find out the names of the teens, but for now she was focusing on getting everything she could on her video camera. She saw the infected teen laying unconscious on the floor and knew that was her exit cue. 

She rushed down the stairs as quietly as she could and headed out the door to her car. By the time she was on the road again she pulled over to the side and took another look at the video camera. What she saw was a teenager running at incredible speed to get in front of his blonde friend and punching the other kid causing him to fly across the room. She stopped it as the teen was in mid-air and smiled.

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It was Friday night and Clark still had the rest of the weekend ahead of him before he went back to school Monday. He was exhausted from his encounter with their newest meteor infected teen and he was just ready to go to bed. He threw himself onto the couch and dozed off to sleep.

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"Clark Kent. Wake up." Clark was awaken in his loft by a female voice he never heard before. He opened his eyes and saw a pretty brunette standing over him.

"Hi, who are you?" He asked still half asleep, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm Karen Castle and I'm a reporter from Metropolis. Can I have a moment of your time?" As she said the words "reporter" and "Metropolis, Clark was immediately awake. _What does a reporter want with me?_

"I have chores to do." He said standing up and heading for the loft stairs to head down. She followed close behind him.

"I've got something I want to show you." She held up a video tape and he stopped as she held it in front of his face. Clark didn't know what she wanted to show him. But his eyes widened as he saw what it was. She pressed stopped and stepped away from him.

"What do you want?" Clark asked flatly, scared about what she would do.

"I want to do a story about you. You have these amazing gifts that the world needs to know about. I can see it now, the headline Teenage Superhero by Karen Castle." She said trying to make herself sound like she was doing the right thing. She brushed her brown hair away and behind her face as Clark began walking rapidly down the stairs, Karen close behind.

"Please, just leave me alone." He pleaded reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"This story will be monumental. Everyone will know your name. You'll be famous."

"Maybe I don't want to be famous, or have people know my name. Did you ever think of that? Did you ever stop and think that maybe there's a reason why I haven't told anyone about my abilities?"

"I can't just throw away a good story, you have to understand that. Either you let me interview you or I run the story and put in my own words about your abilities." She was beginning to get frustrated, she needed this story, not that the Luthor story she ran was already a good boost for her career several months ago.

"Tell you what Clark, I'll give you time to think about it okay? Here's my card," she said handing him a card with her name printed on it along with a home and cell number. "and call me within the next few days." She said and headed out the barn door leaving Clark standing in the dark, empty loft alone.


	3. Chapter 2

As he stood alone in his loft, he listened to Karen's car drive away. By the time he could hear her car no more, he started hearing a loud ringing noise in his ear. Then the pain started and he reached for his right hear with his right hand. He started hearing voices.

"Where's Clark?" Martha Kent asked her husband.

"He's out in the loft."

He looked around and couldn't find his parents anywhere in sight. He went to the door of the loft and looked out towards his house and could see his parents in the kitchen. _What?_ He didn't know what to think. How could he hear his parents when they were inside the house? A new power? I mean after x-ray vision what could he expect? He headed towards the house and up the porch stairs and into the house. He saw his parents sitting at the kitchen table.

"Something just happened when I was out in the loft." He said sitting down in a chair next to his Mom.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

"Well…I heard you guys talking in here. I heard you asking where I was and Dad saying I was in the loft." He told them.

"Wait son, you heard all that when you were in the loft?" His Dad asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking it might be another power. You know like x-ray vision and my speed. It was just like before I got my x-ray vision, I started feeling pain in my ear right before it happened."

"You'll probably have to learn to control it just like your x-ray vision." Martha said.

"Yeah." he said letting his voice trail.

"Is something else bothering you Clark?" His Dad asked putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, that reporter that did a story on Lex a couple months ago came by the loft this morning. She uh…knows about me. She caught me using my powers on tape at Lex's house the other day."

"I'm going to Lex's, maybe he can figure out a way to make her not run that story." Clark said getting up from his chair and heading out the door before his parents could say a word.

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Karen Castle pulled into the parking lot of the motel she was staying at. She carried the video camera with her at all times because she didn't want something like that to be laying around in her motel room for someone to find. She headed inside her room and pulled her lab top off the floor and set it in her lap. She opened up Word and grinned as she typed in bold "Teenage Superhero." The phone interrupted her incredible soon to be story and she immediately picked it up.

"Karen Castle." She said.

"Karen, it's John, what's the update with the Luthor story?" Her boss asked her sounding irritated.

"Well, something came up and I've found a better story."

"What?! So what you just thought you'd dump the Luthor story and move on to something you claim is better?"

"You'll see John."

"It better be good or your ass is gonna be in a lot of trouble." And with that he hung up.

"Oh don't worry John, it will be." She said long after he hung up and smiled to herself.

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As Clark was driving to Lex's the sharp pain began again but soon turned into a ringing noise and he suddenly heard everyone's conversation as he drove down the street of Smallville.

"Yeah I was just thinking we should throw a party for her." He heard a woman tell her husband.

"I want a divorce." He heard a young woman say.

"Stop calling me that, my name is John, not Johnny." A teenager said sounding irritated. _Stop. _Clark said repeatedly to himself.

"I'm gonna get that little bitch. She's gonna pay." Clark heard a man sounding like he was in his thirties say quietly and angrily to himself. He turned his head and looked on each side of the street for the source of the voice but couldn't find the man. Clark realized there was nothing he could do at the moment, so he continued on to Lex's thinking to himself about what the man said.


	4. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

For hours Lex was trying to help Clark figure out a way to control his new hearing power. But it was a lot more difficult then x-ray vision or running real fast. But after three long hours Clark finally was able to control his super hearing.

"Is everything okay Clark?" Lex asked noticing Clark looked a little upset.

"Yeah, I guess. When I was on my way over here I heard someone say "I'm gonna get that little bitch." He said attempting to say it the same way the man did.

"Was that all you heard?" Lex asked.

"Yeah, weird huh?" Clark said.

"Is there anything else bothering you?"

"Yeah actually, remember that reporter that ran that good story on you a while back, well she caught be using my powers on tape in your house."

Lex and Clark talked for another hour thinking about different things they could do to stop her from running that story. The only thing Lex could think of was pay her a large sum of money, but he knew reporters, and when they had a hot story they weren't going to let anyone take them away from that. Before Clark left, Lex told him to bring everyone to the mansion and they could all think of something later in the week.

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The weekend ended in a flash and it was now Monday and Clark was at the kitchen table eating a piece of toast as his Mom poured some eggs onto his plate.

"Thanks Mom." He said with his mouth full and she tsked and told him to not talk with his mouth full. Clark was a little moody because he still didn't know what to do about the Karen Castle situation, but he knew when the gang got together they could all think of something. He headed off to school joining Chloe, Pete, and Lana on the bus, he waited until they were alone in the Torch office when he told them what was going on. They agreed it would be good to meet at Lex's right after school.

Clark could not concentrate at all because all he kept thinking about was what the man said. "I'm gonna get that little bitch." The thing that upset Clark the most was that he didn't know who the guy was after so he couldn't help him or her. He was pulled back into reality by his teacher calling his name.

"Mr. Kent answer the question." Mr. Smith said.

"I'm sorry what was the question again?" Clark asked a little embarrassed.

"I suggest next time you pay attention if you want to pass my class."

"Yes sir." Clark said with his head lowered trying to cover up his reddened face from embarrassment.

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Clark met up with Chloe at her locker as she was taking out her books for her next class. 

"This is ridiculous, math is ridiculous. Why would a journalist like myself need to take math in the first place? It's not like I'm going to be using it when I work at the Daily Planet anyway." Chloe said frustrated.

"That's what everyone says Chloe, and then they end up saying they wish they payed more attention in math when there older." He said grinning.  
"Oh please." She said hitting him playfully in the arm as he walked her to her Math class.

"Ouch." He said reaching for his shoulder where she hit him.

"Whimp." She said jokingly and they both started laughing.

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Lunchtime came and Clark, Lana, Chloe, and Pete sat at their own table away from everyone so they could talk without anyone else hearing.

"I don't know who it could've been, when I looked around the sidewalks and alleys I couldn't see anything." Clark told them.

"Maybe they were inside a store or a car?" Lana suggested.

"Maybe…" Clark said letting his voice trail.

They finished the rest of lunch just talking and laughing when the bell rang and the gang parted their separate ways to class. As Clark was turning a corner he bumped into Karen Castle.

"Hello Clark, nice to see you again." She said.

"Look, I haven't made up my mind yet okay?" He said as he walked past her and continued down the hall through crowds of students.

"Okay, I understand that, but I was just wondering if I could get a quote from you, just so I can get something to start the story off with. You know, saying something about your p-" Clark turned instantly to look at her, Karen knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Oh, sorry. Powers." She whispered.

"Look, now isn't a really good time, I have to go to class." He said and he walked at a very fast pace down the hall to his next class leaving Karen behind.


	5. Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Karen stepped out of her car about a mile down the road from the Luthor mansion to make sure it was out of sight. She finally made it to the mansion and crept slowly inside and hid behind a corner just as the front door opened. It was the blonde girl. Karen slowly followed her without the young girl noticing and saw her enter what appeared to be the Library room.

Chloe was the last to arrive at Lex's house later that day to talk about what they were going to do about Karen. They sat in the Library on couches facing each other and Chloe started getting an idea. Karen stood quietly behind the wall listening to the group's conversation.

"How about you do something that can lose her, her job. I know if I worked at the Daily Planet and someone came up to me they've got something on me that could get me fired I know I'd get freaked." Chloe said, as Karen's eyes went wide.

"That could work, but what do we have on her that could get her fired?" Lex asked.

"Why was she here in the first place?" Chloe asked.

"Probably to do another story on you." Lana spoke up, saying to Lex.

"Then her boss probably isn't too happy that she's switched stories. I say if were gonna get rid of the problem, you go to the source." Clark said. Smart kid, Karen thought, but she knew they wouldn't go through with it. But from the look on their faces they were. She started getting nervous and started moving around a little bit when her shoe made a noise on the floor. She hoped they didn't hear, from the looks of it they didn't.

Chloe looked in a small mirror on the wall and saw Karen Castle peeking her head around the corner. She immediately looked away so that Karen wouldn't know she saw her. Chloe gave a look to Lex and mouthed "Karen is just behind the wall listening." Lex smiled and nodded his head slowly as they headed over to the phone.

"Okay okay, I'm going to call and tell her boss that the new story she's working on is just trash and that the one on me would be better. Also, that she's been snooping around my house, and you guys all witnessed it." He told them grinning. Karen couldn't believe what she was hearing, they were going to try and get her fired, even tell her boss that she attempted to break into the Luthor mansion, and all those kids were going to be apart of it too. She stopped her thoughts and started listening to what Lex was saying when she heard him say "Hello Mr. Johnson."

"Yes, Mr. Johnson that's correct. Karen's been stalking me, she thinks she has an all access pass to snoop around my home whenever she wants. She even tried breaking in, I have witnesses here with me who saw them…Yes…Yes, I think it would be a good idea too that you fire her, rather then me taking legal action." Karen couldn't take it anymore, she turned the corner into the library and grabbed the phone from Lex and put the receiver up to her ear. All she heard was a dial tone.

"What the hell?" She shouted.

"Relax Karen, I knew you were there. I was just showing you what we can do and will do if you don't leave Clark alone." Lex said smiling as Chloe, Lana, Pete, and Clark were holding in their laughs.

"You know what Lex, do whatever you want, I've got the tape and even if you do get me fired, any news channel will be glad to play the tape all over the U.S." She said smiling knowing she won this one.

"Karen please, don't do this. Do you have any idea what will happen? Scientists will want to experiment on me, the media will never leave my family alone, I don't want that." He said holding in his anger and the fact that he was scared.

"Clark this is the story of a lifetime and I'm sorry you don't see that. My offer still stands though about the interview." She said and with that she turned and left the Luthor mansion as the gang stood quietly as they listened to the mansion door closing.

Karen stepped outside into the night and just laughed at her victory. Today was a good day she thought to herself. As she started walking down the mile to her car she started thinking about how much her career will boost once this story runs. She saw her car just up ahead when someone from behind her covered her mouth with a cloth and a liquid substance and she was knocked out.


	6. Chapter 5

Karen opened her eyes in a dimly lit room. It was furnished nicely and a nice little fire was going. After a second she realized she was tied to a chair with her hands behind her wrapped in rope. She quickly assessed the room for possible escape routes. She noticed a barred window, two doors on opposite ends of the room, and a telephone just next to the fireplace. Hope immediately ran through her body but just as soon as it had hit her it was gone. There was no telephone wire, the phone was just for show. Damn. She said to herself. Before she could give another thought to her escape she heard one of the doors behind her open slowly. A man, she assumed, over six feet tall wearing a ski mask slowly approached her.  
"Look, I don't know who you are, but if I don't report back to my boss soon he's going to send people looking for me." She said in her most professional voice.  
"It's all your fault." The man said, Karen knowing all too well that he was holding in his anger.  
"Look, I don't know what I did-"  
"You shut the hell up!" He yelled and took a flashlight and hit her across the face causing a sharp pain in her left cheek. She kept her eyes on the ground taking deep breaths before she looked back up at her kidnapper.  
  
Clark sat in the Luthor mansion next to Lana on one of the couches in Lex's office while Chloe, Lex, and Pete were at his desk coming up with a plan to get Karen Castle.  
"We're gonna make sure Karen doesn't reveal your secret Clark, I promise you." Lana said in her most comforting voice and taking Clark's hand in hers causing him to blush slightly. From across the room Chloe noticed this and couldn't help but feel hurt. Even though she knew it would never again happen with Clark, it still made her feel like her chance with him evaporated even more at that friendly gesture Lana gave him.  
"Thanks Lana." Clark said smiling.  
"Hey Clark, Lana." Lex called from his desk.  
"Yeah." Clark said as Lana followed him to the desk.  
"That was just my security guard on the phone, he says Karen Castle's car is still parked just outside the mansion and that he hasn't found her yet."  
"Wait, you don't think that the voice I heard..." Clark asked.  
"It's possible, but again it could've just been someone talking about anyone." Lex concluded.  
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Chloe asked, annoyed the she wasn't in the loop.  
"Just this voice I heard earlier, I think he may have been talking about Karen."  
"Maybe. But there's no way we can no for sure." Chloe said. The five stood at Lex's desk in silence thinking up more strategies and ideas and what could have happened to Karen. Lex decided she could still be in the mansion, but it was highly unlikely, or she could very well have been kidnapped. He knew they should help her if she was, but with her out of the picture there would be no one left to expose Clark's secret. He knew this was a bad thought, but he couldn't help but think of how much better it would be if she was...eliminated. Author's Note: I apologize sooooo much for the long delay in the update. I hope you all still read it. I'm leaving the country in a couple days so there probably won't be another update until after I get back. Matt 


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